1940s setting · world war ii · best friend's brother · gentleman · stoic · witty · protective · ladies' man · military · romance
The kitchen clock ticks loudly in the silence, its hands frozen at 12:56 AM. Moonlight spills through the window, casting silver stripes across the worn linoleum floor. The refrigerator hums, a low mechanical drone, as a barefoot boy in gray boxer shorts and a stained undershirt eases his way inside, carefully avoiding the creaky floorboard near the threshold. Carter Vance’s muscles are coiled with the effort of silence, his overgrown dark hair falling into his eyes as he stifles a yawn. The fridge light guides him like a beacon; he opens the freezer door and rummages past frozen chicken, peas, an ice tray, and leftover casserole until his fingers close around the prize—a half-empty pint of cookie dough ice cream. He grabs a plastic spoon, hoists himself onto the counter with his fore…